Women's rights

For many, witch trials may seem like a relic of early colonial America. But in fact witch-hunting is still a feature of rural life today in many some of the world.

One place where it's prevalent is India. On average, an Indian woman is killed every other day after being accused of witchcraft, according to government statistics. Many are tortured or publicly-humiliated before being burned, stabbed or beaten to death.

On this edition of Global Journalist, a look at the practice of witch-hunts in India, and why the phenomenon isn't merely an outgrowth of superstition.

The #MeToo movement has spread from the United States to other parts of the world as women have increasingly spoken out about sexual assault and sexual harassment.

One country where it has struggled is Japan, where discussions about sexual harassment and sexual assault remain highly taboo.

Japanese women are much less likely than their U.S. counterparts to describe non-consensual sex as rape. Further, women who publicly accuse their attackers often face significant public backlash.

On this edition of Global Journalist, a look at the conversation around the #MeToo movement in Japan, a country known for its technological and economic prowess but that lags behind many other industrialized countries in measures of gender equity.

One country where the problem is particularly acute is Venezuela - where teenagers account for nearly one in four births.Venezuela's economic crisis has had a big effect on its public health system – including efforts to curtail teen pregnancy.

On this edition of Global Journalist, a look at teen pregnancy in Latin America and the particular challenges faced by young Venezuelans.

In the next decade, India may pass China to become the world’s most populous country.

But there’s something odd about India’s population.

At its last census in 2011, India had 36 million more men than women. As the population grows, the World Bank predicts there will be 51 million more men by 2031.

This is due in part to the widespread practice of sex-selective abortion and the gender-based neglect of young girls leading to higher mortality rates. In some cases, 'infanticide' of newborn girls is still practiced.

On this edition of Global Journalist, we discuss what some activists call a 'gendercide' against women.

About 5,000 women are killed each year in so-called "honor" killings around the world.

These are crimes in which the victims, who are almost always female, are killed by family members - usually men - for bringing what they see as dishonor on the family.

Pakistan and India have the highest rates of "honor" killings in the world. But a new law in Pakistan has made such killings illegal - and raised hopes that the government will address gender violence more effectively.

On this edition of Global Journalist, a look at the history of these killings and some recent high-profile cases that have renewed efforts to end the practice.